The Edible Book: A Benefit for the Friends of the Forbes & Lilly Libraries

The Forbes and Lilly Libraries are holding their Edible Book event on Sunday, April 6th this year, an annual event that crosses culinary arts and language arts with creative free play!

If you could make a piece of art that describes your favorite book, what would it look like? If you created a food whose flavor matches your family’s favorite story, what would it taste like? And what do you think would happen if you combined your art piece with the book’s perfect flavor match? Create a real-life edible artistic masterpiece – just like you’ve imagined! – by participating in Forbes Library’s event, Edible Book Northampton!

Held annually by the Friends of the Forbes Library, Edible Book Northampton is a local event inspired by Edible Book events held all around the world. Folks from as far away as Russia, India, and New Zealand host Edible Book events to honor French gastronomist Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, famous for authoring The Phisiology of Taste. Edible Book events honor not only Brillat-Savarin’s love for flavor, but also a common love for great books. Participants use their creativity and culinary skills to make 100% edible visuals that show a great scene from a book, recreate an iconic book cover, or convey a story’s themes and/or characters.

In addition to inspiring kids to read great stories, Edible Book events encourage families to practice kitchen skills together while involving everyone in creative-free play. For young children, helping out with cooking is an exercise in following directions, reading a recipe, and using basic math and measurement skills. For older students, creating an Edible Book might involve a more scientific exploration of the chemical properties of certain foods in order to determine the materials that will best allow them to create the masterpiece they’ve imagined.

Edible Book Northampton will take place on Sunday, April 6th, 2014, from 2-4pm at the Florence Civic Center (90 Park Street). In order to participate in Edible Book Northampton, families must register by April 2nd, and pay a $10 fee that helps to support the Friends of Forbes’ projects that benefit the library and its patrons. All participants will receive a blue ribbon, and titles will be given in a wide range of categories. Families who choose not to create their own Edible Books are invited to attend the event in order to see others’ creations, help with judging, and to taste a few stories! Admission to the event (for non-creators) is $5 for adults, and kids 10 and under can enter for free. Stop by to see (and taste!) the delicious creations!

[Photo credit: (cc) Topeka Library]